Offsite- Never Again!!!!

[RFrank9504]

As a florida resident we do both on and off site trips. Anything 3 days or more is on site, but for a quick weekend we go off site. I admit alot of the hotels 3 star and under are in need of work. This is the reason Disney sets the bar for Resort life. When we lived in NY and would come only 1x per year it was always for a week or more and always stayed on property with a dining plan. My attitude was if you cant book all inclusive-you most likely cant afford to go!

 

[scoopmorgan]

We're going on Sept 30th and some of us are staying on site, some off site. I'll take a survey to see who liked what, and why.

 

[keypooh90]

I agree about the over-reaction to 1 night off-site. We've stayed mostly onsite but spent two trips in great off-site locations (Radisson Lake Buena Vista) and a nice place on International Drive. Both were inexpensive and in the case of the Radisson, huge room and very convenient.

We may even stay off-site this fall or winter if we don't get a code or discount.

I almost forgot about the spring break we spent at the horrid AKL. It was so bad that the only thing that saved our entire vacation was the wonderful two nights we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel! That room and hotel was like an oasis compared to anything we experienced that trip at AKL; worth every penny and it was less than our discounted room at AKL!

AKL is our favorite place to stay! I love, love, love AKL. In fact, I hope to one day buy-in to DVC at AKV.

 

[keypooh90]

I can guarantee some of the 'offsite' locations are far preferable to some of the 'value' onsite locations.

A Jonas Bros fan and applying for the CP? My guess is this 'we' OP referred to are Mom and/or Dad and this sounds not like a dissatisified customer but a bit of a spoiled person.

To the poster who said a person used to be able to post their opinions? Well it's a different time and place in the world and my bet is most people 10 years or so ago wouldn't have been so condescending, snobbish and downright rude.

Actually,

I helped to pay for the room...that's number one.

And number 2, what's so "spoiled" about applying for the College Program? My dream is to work for the Walt Disney Company full time in a few short years (when I graduate from college).

Third, what does being a Jonas Brothers fan have to do with this at all?

 

[MamaJessie]

Actually,

I helped to pay for the room...

OOooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I get it now.

 

[ugadog99]

I can guarantee some of the 'offsite' locations are far preferable to some of the 'value' onsite locations.

A Jonas Bros fan and applying for the CP? My guess is this 'we' OP referred to are Mom and/or Dad and this sounds not like a dissatisified customer but a bit of a spoiled person.
.

Are you serious?? What in the hell does not liking offsite and applying to the CP have to do with each other?

A far as offsite, with the exception of possibly Bonnet Creek, I'll take a value ANY day!

 

[MamaJessie]

if it came down to where we really couldn't afford on site resorts, we wouldn't go.

This is easier to adhere to when you don't foot the bill yourself.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I've never understood the Offsite stay if you are only going to Disney and even then! I don't need a kitchen or more space honestly if three people can't be in one room for the hours of sleeping and getting ready in the morning I would think that we may have bigger issues. There is plenty of space for the average sized person.
I'm not cooking or washing clothing on vacation so I have no need for a kitchen or washer and dryer. All I need is a fridge for a gallon of milk and snacks and I'm good.

Thirdly, I'm not driving anywhere if I can help it. I drive 45min- 1hr everyday for work so driving is OFF of the list when it comes to vacation. It may be more $$ but staying on site is a heck of a lot easier!

OP sorry you had a rough vacation.

 

[Brian Noble]

Tink2Day: +1. I totally missed that. I feel even better for adding to my ignore list.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

On site resorts are not worth what you pay for them imo. Pop and AS are just glorified Motel 6's with bright icons everywhere-when you're in the rooms they could be any motel. I'd pay $50-75 a night and feel like that was fair but over that and you're getting ripped off.

I paid $300 a night (with a 40% discount-it was a $500 A NIGHT room) for 5 nights at the Poly a few years ago and while it was nice and convenient it wasn't anywhere CLOSE to being a $500 a night room-not even a $300 a night room.

Our stay at POFQ was nice and I love Disney Transportation, but I think it's worth about $100-125 tops.

Now I just spent $200 a night in a 3BR Presidential, the likes of which Disney has nothing remotely comparable for less that $1500 a night-this room was 1600 sq feet!!!! Even the Grand Villas at DVC are outdated and in need of refurbishment compared to this room imo.

I may never stay on site again-the value is just NOT there!

That said, I've never stayed at Sheraton Safari and have heard many BAD things about it so I'm not surprised the OP had an unpleasant stay. But saying all off site hotels are like the Safari is like saying ASSp is the best Disney owned resort there is!

 

[Planogirl]

Sigh... So much of this is just a matter of personal taste. So some of you prefer onsite. OK, nothing wrong with that but why are you here then? I thought that this was a forum to discuss offsite hotels, restaurants and attractions and not a place where you'd have to defend your choices.

This is a ridiculous thread IMO. The original post and some of those which followed are way over the top.

Moving on...

 

[Tink2Day]

What I meant was the clues pointed to the fact that this is a teenager telling everyone how horrific the offsite stay was and how far superior the onsite is when chances are they aren't the one footing the bill.

Maybe I was beating around the bush too much? Sometimes subtle innuendo is lost on people.

 

[Planogirl]

What I meant was the clues pointed to the fact that this is a teenager telling everyone how horrific the offsite stay was and how far superior the onsite is when chances are they aren't the one footing the bill.

Maybe I was beating around the bush too much? Sometimes subtle innuendo is lost on people.

I think that your observations are spot on. Now I am truly moving on!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Actually,

I helped to pay for the room...that's number one.

And number 2, what's so "spoiled" about applying for the College Program? My dream is to work for the Walt Disney Company full time in a few short years (when I graduate from college).

Third, what does being a Jonas Brothers fan have to do with this at all?

Ah, youth. That glorious time of frivilous spending....
Was that a whole month of tips from Pizza Hut?

Come back in 20 years when you're paying a mortgage, car payment, 2 kids in day care (or sacrificing a paycheck to be a stay-home mom), utility bills, property taxes, etc.
Then tell us about how you just have to stay deluxe every time.

Sure, I'd love to stay in the Walt Disney suite on DCL but then I wake up to REALITY.

 

[lionking13]

That house looks amazing, i especially love the lion king room. My family was wondering if there were any townhouses, with 3 or 4 bedrooms, in Windsor Hills just as disney themed as that house. My family just want to go back to Windsor Hills because we have been there several times and have not had a problem. However, we can not find a 4 bedroom house or even a 3 bedroom house just as disney themed as that house. If someone could help us out and tell us a townhouse that is extremely disney themed, that would be great! Thanks.

 

[JimMIA]

Ah, youth. That glorious time of frivilous spending....
Was that a whole month of tips from Pizza Hut?

Hey, don't knock it. I think it's great that Pizza Hut is smart enough to hire them while they still know everything!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Sure, I'd love to stay in the Walt Disney suite on DCL but then I wake up to REALITY.

Actually, I'd love to cruise on DCL one of these days. Oh well. Maybe when I win the lottery....

Hey, don't knock it. I think it's great that Pizza Hut is smart enough to hire them while they still know everything!

Because five years from now, they'll realize they know nothing.

Went through it with DD24 (she lives about 900 miles away, working at her dream job). At 17, she thought she knew everything. Would not listen to Mom and Dad. Well, she went through a horrible relationship which caused her to drop out of college. She has redeemed herself, and applied herself to obtain her dream position. Two months ago, we went down to visit her. She admitted how little she knew, and how much she learned from us.

She still has a long way to go. But she now knows she doesn't know everything.

Back on topic....We were going to book a two bedroom DVC for my DGD's 5th birthday in 2013 through RCI. However DVC/RCI priced themselves out of consideration. We'll probably end up at Bonnet Creek...which looks to be a much bigger condo. We won't lose too much by going offsite. But we saved enough RCI points to book a two bedroom condo at Myrtle Beach next year, something we haven't been able to do since we've started to timeshare. Plus we'll probably be able to book a small vacation sometime between now and 2013.

In other words, to us it's financial. But we're getting a lot more vacation by going offsite. Without sacrificing too much.

 

[JimMIA]

Because five years from now, they'll realize they know nothing.

If they can achieve that in five years, they'll be WAY ahead of most of us.

She admitted how little she knew, and how much she learned from us.

Yep, that's a common theme. The older I get, the smarter my Dad gets. Hopefully, my kids will have the same opinion...without too many scars along the way.

 

[pmiranda]

It's really too bad you had a bad experience, but that hotel isn't known for being a good hotel...

We usually stay off-site because of the kids, and we like our space. A couple of years ago, stayed at the BCV in a 1-bed villa, and it was nice but VERY expensive for such a tiny amount of space. The pool is what really got our attention, though, very nice.

That said, we prefer a 2-bedroom in one of the nicer timeshares like Hilton, Marriott, or Bonnet Creek. This year we're staying in a 2-bedroom condo at Windsor Hills for $75/night.

 

[queendisney]

yep have done the off site ones and nothing compares to actually staying on resort. Have given others the chance, the most recent was the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista in March this year, it was ok but not a patch on staying at a WDW resort hotel. Worth the extra money all the way..